After the Fairy Maidens Fell to Darkness, They Captured Me to Ruthlessly 'Repay' Their Gratitude-Chapter 107 - "Be Confident, You’re One of a Kind"

Midday at Shengxu Sect.

While the sect was abuzz with the news of An Luo Yi’s breakthrough, He Ange had already made his way to the Poetry Cloud Pavilion to meet his master, Qin Shiyan.

Initially, they were discussing the upcoming Fox Clan secret realm trial.

But their conversation was abruptly interrupted when two young attendants entered the hall and whispered something into the black-robed fairy’s ear. Qin Shiyan’s expression shifted from thoughtful to utterly dumbfounded.

“He Ange, did you... sleep with An Luo Yi?!”

She practically slammed the table as she stood, her face a mix of disbelief and confusion.

Realizing her outburst, she quickly sat back down, taking a deep breath and rubbing her temples in frustration.

“I apologies, I meant... regarding the rumors this morning.”

“Yes, Master, it’s true,” He Ange replied calmly.

“...You really did?!”

“Yes.”

“...”

The room fell into an awkward silence.

Qin Shiyan was at a loss for words. The boy in front of her had somehow managed to seduce the sect’s “Destined Heroine.” No, what was even more outrageous was that the “Destined Heroine” had actually allowed it to happen!

Not only that, but He Ange had managed to absorb her blessings and break through to mid-stage Core Formation in a single night.

This kid...

He was like a mischievous piglet that had somehow managed to root out the sect’s prized cabbage.

As a master, Qin Shiyan didn’t know whether to feel proud or to prepare herself to apologize profusely to the Sect Master.

The Sect Master had spent years nurturing An Luo Yi, only for her to be claimed by some no-name rascal. It was a situation that could only be described as... awkward.

“Forget it. Let’s talk about the Fox Clan secret realm instead. He Ange, this year’s trial is being held in the Fox Clan’s secret realm as part of a new agreement between the Dragon Dynasty and the Fox Clan’s Sacred Maiden. No one knows what kind of challenges the Sacred Maiden has in store,” Qin Shiyan said with a sigh, her tone laced with concern.

Before He Ange could respond, Bai Zihua stepped forward and volunteered.

“Master, I am willing to accompany Junior Brother He Ange. We can look out for each other on the journey.”

No sooner had Bai Zihua spoken than Xu Xin burst into the hall, her expression determined.

“Master, I wish to accompany Senior Brother He Ange as well!”

“You too?” Qin Shiyan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes!” Xu Xin said, kneeling before her master with a respectful salute.

Qin Shiyan leaned back in her chair, blinking in mild disbelief. Something about the scene felt... off.

Why did it seem like all three of her disciples were treating He Ange like their leader?

It was as if she, their master, had become an outsider.

“Fine. If you all want to go together, I won’t stop you,” Qin Shiyan said with a resigned sigh.

In truth, she had some history with the Fox Clan’s Sacred Maiden. If her disciples were determined to participate in the trial, she might have to pay the Sacred Maiden a visit herself. After all, she didn’t want to lose three disciples in one fell swoop.

Coincidentally, the Fox Clan’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival was approaching...

“Maybe I’ll join the festivities,” she murmured to herself.

…

The news of An Luo Yi’s breakthrough to mid-stage Nascent Soul had spread like wildfire across the Huaxia Nine Provinces. The divine thunderstorm that night had left an indelible mark on everyone’s minds. Word of her achievement had reached countless cultivators, earning her admiration from disciples and even immortal attendants of the Dragon Dynasty.

But that wasn’t the most shocking part of the story.

The real bombshell was the rumor—leaked by Shengxu Sect elders—that An Luo Yi’s breakthrough had been achieved through dual cultivation with a man!

This was a heavyweight piece of gossip.

However, since the confession had been made in the presence of only the sect’s elders, the news was limited to the upper echelons of the cultivation world. Ordinary cultivators were left to speculate wildly about how the “Destined Heroine” had achieved her enlightenment.

Soon, various theories began to circulate.

Some claimed that An Luo Yi had achieved her breakthrough by reading the “Wordless Heavenly Book,” gaining divine insight and earning the favor of the heavens.

Others, who were slightly more informed, suggested that she had engaged in dual cultivation with a mysterious man, balancing yin and yang to trigger the divine light.

As for the identity of this mysterious man, opinions varied widely. Some even speculated that he was a “Destined Hero” from another world.

Naturally, these rumors eventually reached He Ange’s ears.

…

One Month Later.

Yong’an City, Old Nine Gates.

In a bustling hotpot restaurant, Xia Ranyue sat across from He Ange, her cherry-pink ponytail swaying as she leaned forward. Her long, slender legs, clad in white stockings, swayed beneath the table as she enthusiastically shared the latest gossip about the “Destined Heroine.”

Meanwhile, He Ange sat on the other side of the table, uninterested. He focused solely on devouring lamb slices and sesame sauce.

When Xia Ranyue finally reached the part about the mysterious man rumored to be An Luo Yi’s dao companion, she bit her lip, crossed her arms, and glared at He Ange suspiciously.

“So, this mysterious man everyone’s talking about... it’s you, isn’t it?”

“...?”

He Ange nearly choked on his food.

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Setting down his chopsticks, he took a deep breath and looked at her curiously.

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because you obviously like that Senior Sister Luo Yi, yet you’re completely unfazed by all these rumors about her. You’re not even jealous. That can only mean the mysterious man is you!” Xia Ranyue pouted, avoiding his gaze.

It was clear she wasn’t happy.

After all, Xia Ranyue liked He Ange. And now, he was about to return to the Fox Clan to pose as her boyfriend. Yet here he was, having done “that” with another woman. How could she not be upset?

“Do I look like someone capable of that?” He Ange asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re a scoundrel and a cunning rogue cultivator. You’ve already done ‘that’ to me, so why wouldn’t you do it to Senior Sister Luo Yi? Besides, your breakthrough to Core Formation coincides perfectly with her breakthrough to Nascent Soul,” Xia Ranyue said, her voice tinged with bitterness.

Thinking back to her own experience, Xia Ranyue felt a pang of injustice.

Why was it that when she engaged in dual cultivation with He Ange, she ended up drained of her cultivation, while An Luo Yi soared to new heights? Was it simply the “Destined Heroine’s” special fortune?

“Why do you look so envious? If you want to be ‘cultivated’ too, I wouldn’t mind,” He Ange teased, smirking.

Xia Ranyue sighed in resignation, swaying slightly as she muttered, “Forget it. I’ve barely managed to reach late-stage Foundation Establishment, while you’re already at mid-stage Core Formation. You wouldn’t really drain what little spiritual energy I have left, would you?”

“Of course not. But I’ve heard that the blood of a nine-tailed fox maiden is a rare and precious dual cultivation resource...” He Ange said, his tone playful.

“You! How could you say that?!” Xia Ranyue exclaimed, her cheeks flushing red.

Even though she knew he was joking, the thought of him eyeing her blood made her feel both embarrassed and indignant.

Lowering her head, she sighed.

“Anyway, you saved my life. I owe you everything. My cultivation is far below yours now, so if you really wanted something from me, I wouldn’t be able to stop you.”

He Ange moved to sit beside her, placing a generous portion of lamb into her bowl and gently patting her head.

“I’m just teasing. My little fox is so adorable—how could I ever bring myself to hurt you?”

“You’re treating me like a pet...” Xia Ranyue muttered, quietly eating her food.

“I’m pampering you. We’re about to head to the Fox Clan together, so we need to practice our act, don’t we?”

“You’re only paying attention to me because of the secret realm trial,” she said softly, her voice tinged with sadness.

Xia Ranyue wasn’t naive. She knew He Ange had feelings for someone else. She also knew he had ulterior motives for going to the Fox Clan.

Without those factors, she doubted he would have given her a second glance.

Perhaps the only thing she had going for her was her nine-tailed bloodline.

Still, He Ange’s kindness made her feel conflicted. It felt like he was pitying her, and that stung.

“Xia Ranyue, you’re not stupid. But maybe you’ve been put down so much in your life that you’ve started to doubt yourself. I liked the spirited version of you I met back then,” He Ange said sincerely.

He admitted that his decision to accompany her to the Fox Clan was partly due to her connection to the Sacred Maiden. But beyond that, he genuinely trusted her. That night outside Yong’an City, when he had faked his death, Xia Ranyue’s tears had been real.

Her reaction had moved him. It wasn’t every day that someone cried for you after your “death.”

But precisely because of that, He Ange was careful not to get too close to her.

He was about to betray the sect. The closer Xia Ranyue got to him, the more danger she would face. Unlike with An Luo Yi, his actions with Xia Ranyue weren’t out of necessity.

For now, he saw her more as a younger sister. Keeping their relationship at this level felt just right.

“Let me be honest. Even if you didn’t have your sister, the Sacred Maiden, if you had asked me a few more times, I would have helped you anyway. Sure, her vote matters to me, but it’s not the only reason I agreed.”

“After all, I don’t even know this Sacred Maiden. If her vote weren’t so important, I wouldn’t care about building a connection with her. But you’re different. You’re the little fox I risked my life to save from Bai Zihua. I’m still waiting for you to wear that maid outfit for me.”

“Really?” Xia Ranyue’s eyes widened, her gaze softening as tears welled up.

Ever since He Ange had saved her, she had been trying to repay him. But she had always felt inadequate, as if she had nothing to offer him.

To hear him say this now was both surprising and deeply moving.

“Actually, in one way, you’re more important to me than Senior Sister Luo Yi,” He Ange said, raising a finger with a mysterious smile.

Xia Ranyue blinked, her heart racing with anticipation.

“Senior Sister Luo Yi doesn’t know I’m a rogue cultivator undercover. But you do.”

“If—just if—one day I’m hunted by the entire Dragon Dynasty, with the whole world out to kill me... I might not have the courage to face the ‘Destined Heroine.’ But as a fox demon, I know I could always come to you. That is, if you wouldn’t mind harboring a fugitive.”

…

Fox Clan Secret Realm.

Located in the southeastern corner of the Huaxia Nine Provinces, the Fox Clan’s secret realm was a secluded paradise.

To outsiders, the entire Fox Clan territory was collectively referred to as the “Fox Clan Secret Realm.”

But to the fox demons themselves, the realm was divided into three main areas.

The outermost region, the Cherry Cluster Secret Realm, was the primary residential area, encompassing all aspects of daily life.

Beyond the Cherry Cluster lay a cliff and a suspension bridge leading to the Cherry Cascade Sanctuary—a sacred site used for rituals and the exclusive domain of the Fox Clan’s Sacred Maiden. Whenever the Sacred Maiden entered seclusion, the bridge was sealed off.

At the farthest end of the Cherry Cascade Sanctuary was the most mysterious area: the Cherry Sea Secret Realm.

This untouched region was home to the remains of countless fox ancestors, their legacies buried beneath dense cherry blossom forests. The area was riddled with illusionary formations left behind by the ancestors.

Over the years, the Fox Clan had mapped out the front half of the Cherry Sea Secret Realm, making it relatively safe. However, this portion of the realm had long been stripped of its treasures, leaving behind only traps and corrupted beasts.

The truly valuable back half of the realm remained unexplored.

Many outsiders had attempted to venture into the back half, but none had ever returned. Their remains now nourished the cherry blossom trees.

Currently, the only living being known to have entered and exited the back half of the Cherry Sea Secret Realm was the Fox Clan’s Sacred Maiden, Xia Zhiyue.

But here’s the kicker—

This year’s certification trial for direct disciples had its final stage set in the back half of the Cherry Sea Secret Realm, specifically in the Illusion Moon Valley!

It was practically a death sentence for the participating disciples!